AILA Calls on Congress to Focus on Viable Immigration Solutions

WASHINGTON, DC – The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) calls on Congress to show leadership by creating viable immigration policy that can create more jobs and push the economy forward. Unfortunately today’s House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement’s hearing, “New Jobs in Recession and Recovery: Who Are Getting Them and Who Are Not” is a refrain of last week’s divisive hearing that attempted to pit immigrants against minorities.

“At a time when America needs solutions on immigration, jobs, and our economic security, our Congress appears more interested in scapegoating than providing leadership and answers,” said David Leopold, President of AILA. “Our elected officials are allowing themselves to become distracted from accomplishing those critical tasks by believing in the myth that immigrants take away jobs and depress wages when in fact, study after study show that immigrants have a positive impact on the economy and job growth. Just this past Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported that immigrant entrepreneurs are rapidly creating new businesses and more jobs.”

Leopold added, “The article stated that immigrants, ‘very noticeably, are creating new business ventures at unprecedented rates.’ The WSJ article also correctly noted that our current immigration laws do not allow these immigrant entrepreneurs to stay, thrive, and innovate here in the U.S. Consequently, they either shut down their business or move it out of the country resulting in lost jobs and dollars for American workers. This is the ugly truth facing our nation right now and what we need are solutions such as a start-up visa, to help bring and keep immigrant businesses to the United States," said Leopold.

AILA contends that America must pursue immigration policies that serve the interest of all workers. Congress can consider smart, workable reform that creates better avenues to compliance for the millions of undocumented immigrants currently living and working in the U.S. which would add billions of dollars to the economy.

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The American Immigration Lawyers Association is the national association of immigration lawyers established to promote justice, advocate for fair and reasonable immigration law and policy, advance the quality of immigration and nationality law and practice, and enhance the professional development of its members.